The echoes could be heard throughout Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday. Sound usually travels well in empty stadiums. Get used to it. Empty stands often echo empty efforts.
Eagles’ fans abandoned the ugliness in droves with just under two minutes to play of the Eagles’ 19-11 loss to the New York Giants.
It marked the first time the Giants won at the Linc since October 27, 2013, when the Giants beat Chip Kelly and the Eagles 15–7. Giants’ quarterback JJ McCarthy was 10 then, tossing touchdowns to fifth
graders.
It was the seventh-straight loss for the Eagles, their longest losing streak since their eight-game skid in 2012 during Andy Reid’s last season.
The Eagles are now 2-7, the proud owners of the worst record in the NFC. It’s the worst record after nine games this century for the Eagles and their worst since they started 2-7 in 1999, Reid’s first year.
Joe Milton did a decent job replacing Tanner McKee as the Eagles’ starting quarterback. Milton completed 18 of 34 for 169 yards. He was sacked seven times for minus-41 yards.
But he also missed a lot of open receivers with sketchy accuracy. Milton, however, was able to do things McKee could not do, like scramble from pressure for a team-high 64 yards rushing.
Milton had no help up front.
The Eagles had 104 yards of total offense in the second half. They are averaging an NFL-low 1.4 points in the third quarter.
Defensively, Vic Fangio decided to blitz. His pressure packages resulted in a season-high six sacks for minus-35 yards. The Eagles entered the game with 10 sacks over their first eight games alone.
But the Eagles, who entered the game ranked 27th in the NFL, giving up 367.3 yards a game, held the Giants to 243 yards of total offense.
The Eagles have not scored more than 24 points in a game this season. They have lost to their NFC East rivals the last three weeks by a combined 84-42, averaging 14 points a game.
The Eagles dropped from averaging 17.1 points a game to 16.4, again the lowest average since Reid’s first season in 1999.
For the first time this season, the Eagles did not give up 100 yards rushing.
But they continue to make the same incompetent mistakes. On the Giants’ first touchdown, two Eagles defenders covered one receiver, while Isaiah Likely was wide open in the end zone.
Giants’ rookie linebacker Arvell Reese, a nightmare for many years to come for the Eagles, had three sacks, one in which it seemed right tackle Markel Bell did not appear to know Reese was over his right shoulder.
Effort was there.
So, too, was inept coaching.
Howie Roseman and Jeff Lurie are incredibly smart. They know what they have and where they are going—nowhere. For the remaining eight games they will try and make it look good, because their reality is heading toward a top-three pick in the 2027 draft—and they know it.
Roseman and Lurie do not want to jeopardize that.
No one or nothing in the Jefferson Training Complex can fix this. That will have to come in the offseason and will have to come from outside. The fanbase has checked out. Coaches are looking over their shoulders concerned about their futures.
Players are playing for themselves, trying to generate as much good film as they can for their futures—and the looming question that hangs in the wind is will Jalen Hurts, though under contract through 2028 and includes the first-ever full no-trade clause in Eagles’ history, want to return to this messy rebuild?
That answer may be no.
The Eagles have four home games left in this dismal season. Expect the Linc to turn into an echo chamber the last month.
Nick Sirianni was right last week when he said that breakdowns are due to multiple reasons. Communication is awful, players are sometimes looking to the sidelines for answers with no reply, and there have been too many occasions when two defenders are covering one receiver, while on offense an opposing defender is running free and unblocked at the quarterback.
You do not have to be an NFL head coach to see it.
There was a lot of good, a lot of bad and continuing mound of ugly in the Eagles’ 19-11 loss to the New York Giants.
The Good
Moro Ojomo coming up with a three-yard loss at the Eagles’ five on a first-and-goal late in the third quarter. The next play the Giants scored to take a 13-8 lead.
Cooper DeJean blowing up Devin Singletary for a one-yard loss on the Giants’ second drive at the Eagles’ 46. The following play, Cooper was beat bad for a 27-yard reception to the Eagles’ 19.
Edge Nolan Smith getting the Eagles’ season-high sixth sack for a minus-6 yards back to the Giants’ 19, putting the Giants with a third-and-15 on New York’s second drive in the second half.
Jeremiah Trotter Jr. slicing through the Giants—and former St. Joe’s Prep alum Jon Runyan—to take down Devin Singletary on the Giants’ first drive of the second half at the Giants’ 29. Trotter made a team-high 11 tackles, with four solos, and three tackles for loss and one quarterback hit. This also has to change. There is a growing feeling within the Eagles that Trotter is better than Jihaan Campbell, though some feel Campbell is Roseman’s 2025 first-round pick giving him preferential treatment. Fangio is an old-school coach who knows the difference between high IQ players like Trotter, and others who have all the measurables, though lack football IQ.
The Eagles first half defense. They held the Giants out of the end zone, and after a rocky start, caused one turnover, had five sacks for minus-29 yards, and held the Giants to 88 yards of total offense.
Joltin’ Joe Milton’s first half, who we will mark on a curve, completed 8 of 14 passes for 87 yards and ran for 24 yards on five carries. The Eagles outgained the Giants 121-88 in the first half and put the Eagles ahead 8-6. Milton’s 23-yard scramble with 4:09 left to play on a third-and-eight doubled the Eagles’ total yards in the second half. On that same drive, Milton hit Lemon for a 10-yard completion on a third-and-seven.
Punter Braden Mann ending the first half with a booming 86-yarder to close the first half.
Jalyx Hunt taking down reading a reverse, taking down Darnell Mooney for a four-yard loss on the Giants’ fifth drive.
Makia Lemon making a pair of catches—and one drop—on the Eagles’ fifth drive for 22 yards.
Jalen Carter with an eight-yard sack on the Giants’ fourth drive at the Giants’ 48.
Long snapper Rocco Underwood’s fumble recovery early in the second quarter at the Giants’ 47. Of course, three plays later, the Eagles fumbled the ball back at midfield.
The first quarter. Despite being outgained, 78-41, despite losing the time of possession, 9:39 to 5:21, the Eagles still led 8-6, thanks to a 30-yard interference call.
Nick Sirianni chose the right time to go for two after Saquon Barkley’s first-quarter touchdown with 2:09 left in the first quarter. The Eagles converted when Milton ran up the middle for an 8-6 Eagles’ lead.
The Eagles second drive. It was helped considerably by a 30-yard pass interference call on Deonte Banks that put the ball at the Giants’ 3, setting up Saquon Barkley’s three-yard touchdown—it was only the Eagles’ third TD in the first quarter this season.
Milton scrambling for 19 yards on the Eagles’ second drive on a third-and-six to the Giants’ 35.
Linebacker Jonathan Greenard—finally—made a play. He only had six pressures on 67 snaps spending more time on the injured list than on the playing field. His 10-yard sack on the Giants’ second possession forced the Giants to settle for a 49-yard Dominic Zvada field goal 5:31 remaining in the first quarter.
Defensive tackle Jordan Davis made an appearance, taking down Devin Singletary for a two-yard loss on the Giants’ opening drive. Then, JJ McCarthy completed a 17-yard pass on third down. Davis later took down McCarthy for the Eagles’ fifth sack—a seven-yard loss—with less than a minute left in the first half at the Giants’ 37.
Linebacker Zack Baun taking down Devin Singletary for a yard loss on the second play of the game. Baun later came back to take down McCarthy for a one-yard sack on a third-and-10 at the Eagles’ 34. It was only the Eagles’ 11th sack of the season. Baun had his second sack—and fourth Eagles’ sack overall—on the Giants’ fifth drive for an eight-yard loss at the Giants’ 27.
The Bad
Milton’s underthrown pass to the open to Elijah Mitchell at the two-minute warning could have been a touchdown. Milton’s rust showed here,
Davis committing the personal foul call on a first-and-10 on the Giants’ fifth drive, moving the ball to the Giants’ 39.
The Eagles’ first defensive series. They allowed a 27-yard completion on a third-and-five, and a 17-yard completion on a third-and-12. Fortunately, Baun came up with a pair of tackles for loss, and Davis showed up for a play for a loss. The Eagles walked away allowing a 53-yard Dominic Zvada field goal with 10:30 left in the first quarter. The Giants converted two of three third downs.
The Ugly
Left guard Landon Dickerson being smoked by rookie sensation Arvell Reese on the Eagles’ fourth drive of the second half for an eight-yard sack on a third-and-10 play at the Eagles’ 42. That was compounded by two penalties on the ensuing punt, which saw the snap go through Mann’s hands, giving the ball back to the Giants at the Eagles’ 35 with 6:43 to play, with the Eagles trailing 16-8.
The Eagles first first down of the second half came with 8:52 to play on Milton’s 19-yard completion to Dallas Goedert on the Eagles’ fourth drive of the second half. Before that, the Eagles had run off nine plays for 10 yards in the second half. By then, the Giants had run off 31 plays for 11 first downs and 144 yards of total offense.
The Eagles’ inability to stop the Giants on their second drive of the second half. New York went 76 yards over 14 plays, converting one third down (third-and-15) and one fourth down. DeJean gave up a 27-yard reception right after he made a great tackle for a one-yard loss the previous play. The touchdown was another mass of confusion. The Giants had three receivers lined right, and the Eagles combatted that with four defenders. The problem was, Quinyon Mitchell and Andrew Mukuba both ran with Theo Johnson cutting over the middle, and no one picked Isaiah Likely running up the middle and wide open in the end zone. The communication with the Eagles’ defense has been atrocious this season.
The Eagles third quarter on offense. They ran six plays for two yards. The Giants ran off 18 plays for 90 yards. Enough said.
The Giants converting yet another long third down, when Giants’ backup Jameis Winston hitting Malachi Fields with a 16-yard reception on New York’s second drive of the second half. The third-and-15 conversion gave the Giants a new set of downs midway through the third quarter on their way to their first touchdown.
The Eagles going three-and-out for the seventh time in their eight games on the first drive of the second half.
Center Drew Kendall made that possible. He was nailed for a holding call on the first play of the second half. It was a great way to start the third quarter. Two plays later, Giants’ linebacker Micah McFadden sacked Milton by slamming Kendall right into Milton’s lap for a 10-yard loss.
The Eagles going three-and-out for the seventh time in their eight games on the first drive of the second half.
The Eagles getting stopped on fourth-and-one with 1:55 left in the first half. Kendall was pushed back by the Giants’ DJ Reader, Shelby Harris came crashing down on left guard Landon Dickerson, while left tackle Jordan Mailata missed Harris and wound up blocking air. Mailata has not had a good season. The failure made the Eagles, once guaranteed to make first downs with the tush push, 5-for-16 on converted fourth downs. Safety Jevin Holland was credited with the tackle.
Reese lowering the boom on Milton for a sack and a fumble at midfield on the Eagles’ fourth drive. No one picked up Reese on the right, just outside of Markell Bell, who did not seem to even notice Reese. It was another dreadful communication breakdown in a season full of them for the Eagles’ offensive line. It was typical of what the Eagles’ offensive line has failed to see when there has been an overload to one side or the other.
Right guard Tyler Steen failing to stay with Reese on the fifth drive, which resulted in Reese’s second sack, this time coming on third-and-10 at the Eagles’ 44.
Safety Kenny Moore was elevated from the practice squad a little over a month ago. There was a reason he was on the practice squad that was apparent again when McCarthy hit Malik Nabors for a 22-yard reception on a third-and-five to the Eagles’ 27 on the Giants’ second drive.
Milton getting flagged for a false start on his first time under center. It was laughably inevitable. The Eagles started first-and-15 and the “Randall Cunningham of the Practice Squad” proceeded to go three-and-out. His pass to Darius Cooper on the first drive was thrown behind him and showed the miscommunication between Milton and his receivers.
McCarthy hitting Darnell Mooney on a third-and-12 between Cooper DeJean and Andrew Mukuba on the Giants’ first drive. Again, this play came after the Eagles made a tackle for loss. What DeJean and Mitchell were doing is anyone’s guess. McCarthy dropped the ball between the two.Baun losing Giants’ Likely on a third-and-five to the Eagles’ 48. Everyone appeared to pick up who they were supposed to pick up, but Baun stayed put, and let Likely get behind him. The play occurred right after Baun made a negative stop.
